Where To Crash When You Can't Afford A Pricey Hotel

When you’re traveling and need a place to stay, hotels are a
great solution.

They’re convenient, you can find one almost anywhere, and they
can be a pampered
retreat from real life (wouldn’t it be nice if someone made
your bed every day?).

But they can also be quite pricey and even run-of-the-mill. So,
why should they be your only option?

Well, they’re not. By using these three organizations, you can
mix things up and find some excellent and unique
accommodations—for a fraction of the price of a hotel. (And in
some cases, even for free!) Before booking your next trip—or
staycation—check out these sites.

Airbnb

Airbnb puts a modern spin on
the old custom of taking boarders in. But you don’t have stay in
the homes of random folks off the street—rather, Airbnb matches hosts and guests by using
profiles, detailed descriptions, and
references, so everyone is comfortable and protected.

Accommodations through Airbnb can range from a cozy room in the
host’s house, a tent in their backyard, a treehouse, a yacht, a
loft, or a five-bedroom villa on the Mediterranean Sea. In almost
every destination worldwide, you can find accommodations on the
cheap (prices start around $25 per night), or splurge on decadent
digs (still for a fraction of what you would pay a hotel).

Aside from saving hundreds
of dollars in lodging expenses, I’ve enjoyed my Airbnb stays
for the extra human touches: bicycles to borrow, recommendations
from the property owner on places to explore and restaurants to
try, a kitchen to prepare some meals in, and great conversations
with interesting hosts from around the globe.

Couch Surfing

While Airbnb usually guarantees you your own space—be it a
private bedroom or an entire villa—Couch Surfing will give you
the opportunity to get more, well, cozy with your hosts. Read:
you crash with a stranger.

Okay, it’s a little safer than that. Couch Surfing is based on a
community of travel
enthusiasts who want to open their homes up to others. That’s
why you can go camping at an eco-community in Costa Rica, stay in
a flat in London, or park it on a ritzy couch in Palm Springs, for absolutely nothing.

Guests and hosts alike create profiles on the Couch Surfing
website, including reviews from previous surfers, allowing both
sides to learn a bit about and carefully screen each other. You
can also specify what types of guests and hosts you’re
comfortable with, such as singles, families, men, women, and
specific age ranges. Finally, the site offers a verification
system, so you can be assured that the people really are who they
say they are.

The site isn’t entirely free—the community frowns on freeloaders
who do all the surfing and none of the hosting—so be prepared to
reciprocate. Yes, it sounds a little sketchy at first, but if you
use common sense when choosing your hosts and guests, it can lead
to a cheaper trip and the opportunity to meet
fascinating people across the world.

Mind My House

If you’re looking for a private vacation and are willing to spend
a bit of money and effort, house sitting can be the perfect
answer. Websites like Mind
My House matches house sitters with homeowners who are
itching to travel. It’s up to you to email the prospective
homeowner and convince them that you’re the right one for the
job, which is where that extra effort comes in. You’ll also need
to pay $20 for the opportunity to explore the homes up for grabs
and the utilities during your stay.

If it’s going to be something you want to do more than once,
consider how you can make yourself a more desirable house sitter.
Some sitters go out of their way to get excellent
referrals—cleaning the
home, stocking the freezer with baked goods, and leaving the
pets very happy.

But despite the extra effort, you’ll get staying in a house (by
yourself) for next to nothing. And with lengths of stay anywhere
from a week to months on end, it’s perfect for if you really want
to really explore a destination without breaking the bank.